easyMultiple Choice
CISA Practice Question: A small business wants to protect customer data…
A small business wants to protect customer data stored on a local file server. Which of the following is the MOST cost-effective control to prevent unauthorized access?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse detective controls (audit logs) or encryption (which protects data at rest) with preventive access controls, leading them to choose a more expensive or less effective option instead of the simple, direct file permission configuration.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure file-level permissions
Configuring file-level permissions (e.g., NTFS permissions on Windows or POSIX ACLs on Linux) is the most cost-effective control because it directly restricts which users or groups can read, write, or modify specific files and folders on the server. This granular access control prevents unauthorized access without requiring additional hardware or complex management, making it ideal for a small business with limited budget.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable detailed audit logs
Why it's wrong here
Audit logs only record access after it occurs, providing detective evidence rather than preventing unauthorised entry. They are valuable for forensic investigation, compliance reporting and detecting anomalies in environments where preventive controls already exist, but they cannot stop a user or attacker from reading the customer data in the first place.
- ✓
Configure file-level permissions
Why this is correct
File-level permissions restrict access through the operating system's existing access control, requiring no new hardware or software spend. This directly satisfies the stem's cost-effectiveness constraint while preventing unauthorised access to the customer data on the local file server.
- ✗
Implement full-disk encryption
Why it's wrong here
Full-disk encryption protects data if the disk or server is physically stolen; it does not prevent unauthorised access through the running operating system. It is tempting because it is a recognised data-protection control, and would be correct when the threat is device theft rather than network or account compromise.
- ✗
Deploy biometric authentication
Why it's wrong here
Biometric authentication requires per-user readers and enrolment, costing far more than the stem's small-business constraint allows. It is tempting because biometrics strongly verify identity, and would suit a high-security facility where strong multifactor access justifies the hardware and administration overhead.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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